Lori Swanson Stands by Running Mate Rick Nolan

Nolan Apologizes to the Women

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lori Swanson is standing by her running mate, Rick Nolan, despite pressure from liberal groups to dump him over his handling of a top aide accused of sexual harassment.

Lori Swanson’s statement reads:

“Sexual harassment has no place in the workplace or society.  Congressman Nolan has apologized to the women who were harassed by their male co-worker, and for his own comments. 
Congressman Nolan has a long, effective, and distinguished track record representing Minnesota and has fought for gender equality throughout his entire career.  As the first female attorney general in Minnesota history who is running to be our state’s first female governor, the Swanson-Nolan Administration will work hard to promote opportunities and equality for women.  Sexual harassment will have no place in the Swanson-Nolan Administration.”

MinnPost reported Thursday that Nolan aide Jim Swiderski was allowed to leave quietly rather than be fired over alleged sexual harassment.

Swiderski was hired by Nolan’s re-election campaign months later, something Nolan now acknowledges was a mistake.

A Swanson campaign spokeswoman, Ruth Stanoch, suggested that Swanson rivals Tim Walz and Erin Murphy are trying to exploit the matter. Stanoch said some of the figures in the MinnPost story have links to their campaigns.

In an accompanying statement, Nolan made the same point, but also apologized to the women.

His full statement reads:

“Women, who have talked to MinnPost anonymously, have stated that they were harassed and intimidated by a former older male member of my Congressional staff.  I believed them in 2015 when they reported the harassment and when my chief of staff, Jodie Torkelson, promptly investigated the allegations and let the male staffer go.  In hindsight, my Congressional campaign committee should not have retained the individual as an independent contractor and paid him $1,666 to work off-site for a brief period of time in 2016.  When a concern about this was brought to my attention, his status as an independent contractor was immediately terminated.

Though I am told that at least two of the women quoted anonymously in the story now work for my opponents or their allies, that doesn’t change or diminish in any way the fact that the harassment by the male staffer was wrong and should not be tolerated in any work environment.  I apologize to these women that it did, and for any insensitive comments I may have made. 

I have tried hard during my life to show respect for and give opportunities to women.  My aunt Eleanor Nolan, for whom I worked in the office, was one of the few female attorneys in northern Minnesota in the 1940s, became the first female judge in Minnesota, and taught me at a young age that women deserve equal workplace treatment and opportunities.  In the 1970s, I was an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, to ensure equality for women in all spheres of society.  As a 74 year old male, I am excited to be on the ticket with Lori Swanson, a trailblazer who is a generation younger than me and who will serve Minnesota proud as the first female governor of Minnesota.”

Swanson said sexual harassment would have no place in her administration.